The subtly shaded dark and light forms in Objects Subject to Change, highlighted by what might be sunlight or an aura, could be parts of a human body. Or are they fruit? Shapes in nature? This ambiguity is exactly what Javier Torras aims to create. “The shapes are in motion,” says the Spanish artist, “and they are in constant potential to become something in the human mind.” He is actually encouraging us to see what we want to see. “I want the work to be finished by the viewer,” he explains.
Available to buy now from Elephant Kiosk, his inspiration for the piece came from a surprise encounter in nature. During autumn 2021, Torras spent time at an art residency in rural Norfolk, England, where he saw giant puffball mushrooms for the first time. “They looked like marble sculptures in the landscape,” he remembers. The puffballs and trees surrounding Torras “would change shape and colour over time, transforming their qualities as the days went by. They made me think of transformation and physical tension in relation to time and space.”
This painting explores the concept of intertwining the ideas of natural and human. In Norfolk, Torras saw first-hand the interdependence and connections created by farming and the management of a rural estate, and the balance that was established between human activity and nature.
“The shapes are in motion and they are in constant potential to become something in the human mind”
While he was creating Objects Subject to Change, Torras was simultaneously making large sculptures outside. The changing skies and weather conditions of autumn influenced his thought process. “Looking at my sculptural work in an open space made me think about the vastness of the landscape and the multiple changes happening around it,” he explains.
In his wider practice, Javier Torras uses traditional fine art media to explore personal narratives in space in order to forge a deep connection with the environments in which he finds himself. He is a graduate of the University of the Arts London and the Royal College of Art and has exhibited in London and Berlin. He has just started to explore the concept of exhibiting his pieces in a musical context: he has previously worked with professional dancers and set designers, and wants to connect the melodies and rhythms of classical music and dance with colour, tone, shape and contrast.
This print, with certificate of authenticity, is available exclusively from Elephant in a strictly limited edition of 50.
